No Hi-Tech Leg For Now

Luke was notified by Blue Cross that the requests submitted by his doctor and his physical therapist for him to get the C-Leg, the microprocessor controlled prosthetic has been denied. They feel that he is still in the healing process and that he should get a standard prosthetic leg. They said that he can apply again in 6 months for the C-Leg.

This is a big disappointment, but at least the door is still cracked for the future. At this point he is eager to get the standard leg so that he can get up and about. Otherwise he is doing well. We are hoping that things will move along in this new direction and he will have the prosthetic in order to come to Meadville in August.

---Bill

Out of the Sling

Luke had a couple of follow up appointments with doctors this week. Monday he saw his orthopaedic surgeon to check the surgery to remove the random bone growth on his left leg. She gave him a picture of all the material she removed and it is hard to imagine how much had developed in his leg! He has another appointment next Monday to see if he is ready to have the staples removed.

Today he saw his neurosurgeon to check the nerve repair surgery he had done at the Mayo Clinic. Everything is looking good and he was finally able to take off the immobilizing sling he has worn since the surgery four weeks ago. He was very happy to finally be able to take a shower! The doctor wants Luke to work on range of motion exercises now but he is doing so well that he wouldn't need to see him again for several months.

The insurance company has requested a consultation by a specialty reviewer before making a determination on the microprocessor knee prosthesis that the orthopaedic and rehabilitation people are recommending for Luke. We should hear in a couple of weeks.

Luke is heading with some of his friends to spend the weekend camping at a country music jamboree.

---Bill

Going Under the Knife Again

Luke had surgery today to remove the random bone tissue that developed in his left leg. Since it looks like it will still be a while before he gets a prosthetic leg, he decided to have it removed now. The two and a half hour surgery went very well although he did lose a little over a half a liter of blood due to blood thinners he is on. He is spending the night in the hospital as they put a drain in and plan to remove it tomorrow. He will also undergo radiation treatment on the leg to attempt to prevent further random bone growth.

The doctors are also attending to the dressings from the surgery he had done at the Mayo Clinic. He will have a follow up visit on his arm with the orthopaedic surgeon in three weeks. Until then he will continue to wear the sling to keep his arm immobilized.

--- Bill

Home Again

Though somewhat weather delayed, Luke flew back to sunny San Diego Sunday afternoon while Mom and Dad were driving through blowing snow and then heavy rains on their way home to Meadville. A parting shot while saying goodbye in Rochester ...

Homeward Bound

Luke was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon and he spent the rest of the day relaxing at the motel and doing some Wii bowling. We enjoyed a final dinner together at Outback. He still is very uncomfortable from all the healing incisions but is getting better each day. He has to leave his motion restricting sling on for three weeks and will do follow up visits with his elbow surgeon in San Diego. He will have a follow up visit back here at the Mayo Clinc in about a year.

His flight back to San Diego leaves at 9:00 Sunday morning and after taking him to the airport, Paula and I will begin our long drive home.

---Bill

Slow Recovery

Luke's recovery slowed down a bit today as his heart rate was up and he wasn't as perky this morning as he was yesterday. They took a chest x-ray and his lungs showed a bit of cloudiness which could be anything from a touch of pneumonia to remnants of the hit his lungs took from the original trauma. As a precaution he is taking some antibiotics and he took a nebulizer treatment this evening.

He got in his chair at the nurse's request this afternoon and the longer he sat up the better he looked and acted. He ate all his dinner with no signs of nausea. He stayed in the chair for several hours before returning to bed.

This morning the doctors thought he may be able to leave the hospital tomorrow, but after today's tests he may stay another day. Time will tell.

---Bill

Recovery

Luke spent the day recovering from yesterday's extensive surgery. The first half of the day was in the ICU where he received two units of blood. That really perked him up. This afternoon he was transferred to a regular room. He is still feeling quite a bit of pain, especially on his chest where the splint that is immobilizing has left arm is resting on top of the incision where they transferred the intercostal nerve. Despite that, he was determined to get himself out of bed himself so the nurses could change his sheets. With Paula and I pretty much just keeping all the tubes from getting tangled, he got up and sat in a chair next to the bed. Besides the pain the only other problem he has had are a few bouts with nausea.

---Bill